Page 84 of Shadows of Eternity

“I just got out of the shower.”

“We need to talk.”

The words poured over her like ice water. “Is something wrong? Is Mom all right? Luke?”

“They’re both fine,” he said, curtly. “Get dressed. I’m waiting out front.”

Leia’s hands were trembling as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, stepped into a pair of sandals. Her father had sounded so serious, all she could think was that something terrible had happened to her mom, or maybe her brother, and he didn’t want to tell her the bad news over the phone.

She found her father parked in front of her apartment. She took a deep breath as she opened the passenger door and settled into the seat. “What’s going on?”

Her father put the car in drive and pulled out of the apartment complex and into the street.

“Dad, you’re scaring me.”

He drove for another few minutes. Leia’s heart was pounding when he pulled up in front of the small park located not far from her apartment building. He switched off the engine, then turned in his seat to face her. “What do you know about this guy, Rohan?”

Leia frowned. “All I need to know. Why?”

“I had a friend of mine do a background check on him.” He held up his hand when he saw the protest in her eyes. “He checked the DMV records, birth records, voting records and LAPD’s database. All Rohan’s information is fake. Date of birth, parents’ names, social security number, driver’s license. There are no records of anyone known as Shadow Dancer, or Rohan Stillwater.”

Leia blinked at him. In the back of her mind, she heard Rohan’s voice telling her the police didn’t even know he existed. Apparently, neither did anyone else. It wasn’t surprising, she thought. He’d been born over three hundred years ago in an Indian village. It was likely that even Rohan didn’t know the exact year or date of his birth. Still, in this day and age, it was hard to believe even a vampire could stay under the radar. How did he get a driver’s license, credit cards? And then she frowned.She didn’t know if he had a license. She’d never seen him use a credit card. Only cash.

“You can’t marry him,” her father said flatly. “For all you know, he could be a serial killer, a rapist, who the hell knows what else. I’m taking you home with me.”

“But … ”

“There is no but,” Brian said as he put the car in gear. “I’m taking you home now.”

“This is kidnapping, you know,” Leia muttered irritably.

“So have me arrested,” her father retorted. “I’d happily go to jail to keep you from marrying that man until I know who he really is, and what he’s after.”

It wasn’twhoRohan was that had her worried, Leia thought. Butwhathe was. There was just no way to explain that he was a vampire, let alone expect her parents to believe it. Or accept it.

Josiah grinned as he dissolved into mist and followed the blue Subaru. He had been determined to have the woman since that first taste only hours ago, and this seemed as good a time as any to take her and make her his.

Trent swore under his breath as he watched the vampire disappear. Dammit all to hell! He’d been so close to taking the bloodsucker’s head and now the chance was gone. Who knew when he’d get another?

He frowned as he got into his car and pulled out of the park behind the blue Subaru, curious to know where Leia was going and who she was with. It sure as hell wasn’t Rohan.

Trent took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. What difference did it make who Leia was with? His whole world was falling apart. Janae was threatening to divorce him if he didn’t quit his job. They’d had a hell of a fight, with her screaming that she couldn’t live with a man who made his living killing other men. He should have lied when she asked if he’d ever killed anyone. Instead, he’d refused to answer and that had just made it worse. He had been sorely tempted to tell her the truth—which was, of course, forbidden—and in her current state of mind, it probably would have sent her over the edge. When she locked him out of the bedroom, he gave in and promised to quit, but only after he’d finished his current assignment, which meant destroying Rohan and his sire, no matter how long it took.

He swore long and loud. He was angry and frustrated with the day’s events. And horny as hell.

Sensing Leia’s anxiety, Rohan released his prey from his thrall and willed himself back to Leia’s apartment. He stood in the middle of the living room, every sense on alert. Leia had left the apartment a short time ago and she had been upset at the time, though he couldn’t determine why. Lifting his head, he closed his eyes, his senses moving outward from the apartment.

Her father had been here.

What the hell?. Why had Winchester spirited his daughter away?

He considered a moment, then grunted. He’d been well aware of Winchester’s suspicions, but that was to be expected. The man had been a detective for over twenty-five years. Being suspicious was second nature. A deep dive into his identity probably set off a lot of alarm bells in Winchester’s mind.

As soon as he stepped out of the apartment, he caught the lingering scents of both Josiah and Frumusanu.

Muttering an oath, he opened the blood link between himself and Leia.

Chapter Thirty-Four

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